Brimstone
by BlindClown
Summary: Vincent Davis, a computer hacker and poet, is murdered with his new fiancee. The powers of The Crow bring him back to set the wrong things right, but he finds himself faced against an enemy too much like himself
1. Alpha

ALPHA

**ALPHA**

The day before Valentines Day
****The mall was packed, like it always is.I wandered around the store, stopping here and there to look at things.Today, on this sunny morning, I am here alone.I am alone because my girlfriend is at work, and I want to buy her something special for Valentines Day.Something so special, that she will remember me forever. 
One of my friends works at a jewelry store here in the mall, so I stopped by there.My friend saw me looking around in the store, so she walked over to me and asked, "Sorry freak, we don't sell nose rings."She had a smile across her face, I laughed and smiled back. 
"Why are you here?" she asked.I responded, "I want to buy Amy something, a ring."My friend continued to smile when she asked, "Could it be, the great Vincent, wanting to get married?""Is it that apparent?" I said.My friend proceeded to show me engagement rings.I finally settled on a gold band that had two hearts linked together. 
My friend hugged me before I left and said, "I'm happy for you, happy for you and Amy.""Thank you," I said.I put the small box that held the ring in my jacket pocket and continued to look around the mall.After about an hour or so, I left the mall to return home. 
Amy and I lived together.When I was 16, my parents were murdered.I got everything they owned.I'm 18 now.Amy, who is 19, moved in 7 months ago, and it's been the happiest time of my life.She works as a nurse during the day, and I am "self-employed". 
I am a computer hacker.Some large computer businesses pay me money to see if I can hack into their system.While some underground companies and freaks pay me money to come up with a computer virus.I also make a living as a poet.Some of my works have made their way into published books, but nothing major.There was a time, when I was 17, when I would hack into companies and banks and steal money.I never got caught, but I soon gave it up, for fear of being caught.However, I still have much of the money I took. 
Since Jr. High, I have been dating Amy.She was around to give me comfort when my parents died, and for that, I am forever in her debt.Ever since we first met, we both felt as if we were soul mates.We are also a perfect case of the "opposites attract" theory.I am a freak, gothic in nature.However, Amy is quite normal, and dresses like a prep. 
At home from the mall, I got on my computer and proceeded to get online.In the last week, I had been hacking into Talon Industries.They owned several clubs all around the states, but I had found out that they had been dealing in underground drug dealing and weapon sales.Once I had enough information, I planned on going to the police. 
My father was a police detective, and he was a good one.A lot of the cops in this city are corrupted; they take bribes from the gangs and dealers.I suspect Talon Industries was one of those industries that give the cops money to make them turn the other way, that's why I first started trying to hack into their systems. 
I heard Amy pull up in the driveway.I turned off my computer and went to greet her at the front door.As soon as she opened the door, I took hold of her and lifted her up off her feet.She smiled and laughed as I turned her around in circles.I put her back down on her feet and I said, "Happy Valentines Day."She responded, "Valentines Day isn't until tomorrow, goof ball." 
"I always like to celebrate early." I said."Why don't you go and be a good little boy and get the groceries out of the car," she said.I said "Alright, but I'm cooking dinner tonight?"Amy responded "Uh, honey, you don't know how to cook."I laughed and said, "Maybe I've learned a few things." 
She got close to me and kissed me, then she said, "I think maybe all those hours you spend on the computer are frying your brain."I smiled and walked out the door to get the groceries from the car.After I brought them all in, I went into the kitchen and began to cook dinner. 

**Murder of Crows**

Amy waited in the dinning room while I cooked dinner.I made lasagna with garlic bread, her favorite meal.I sat the food down at the table and said, "Before we eat, I want to read you something I wrote."She smiled at me and looked into my eyes.I reached into my pocket and pulled out a piece of notebook paper.I had written down a poem for her. 
"Ever seen the light? 
Ever fear the night? 
You are my day 
No matter what they say 
You are my mate 
No matter the fate 
Come visit my hole 
You are my heart and soul 
Hugs that are so sweet 
When our bodies meet 
Faith in our selves is like gold 
All the memories we shall hold 
Baby, I hope you will be 
Mine.Will you marry me?" 
From out of my pocket, I pulled out the ring I had bought her.Her eyes widened, her mouth opened a little bit as if to let in a deeper breath.I took hold of her hand and put the ring on her finger.She looked at me and continued to smile real big, and then tears started to flow down her face."Hey, your suppose to be happy, not sobbing all over my food," I said with a smile. 
She hugged me real tight and said, "Of course I'll marry you!""Yeah, Baby, yeah!" I yelled out and then I kissed her real passionately.We lay on the floor, holding each other.When Amy wasn't looking into my eyes, she was looking at her ring."I don't think I've ever been more happier in my life, Vincent," she said.I gently rubbed my finger through her long brown hair and said, "I know, I feel the same way." 
Suddenly, there came a loud crashing noise from the front door.Then there was laughter.I stood up, Amy by my side.A group of 5 people, 3 guys and 2 girls, came rushing into the dinning room."What the hell is this?"One of the guys had a gun, and he shot me in the shoulder.Amy screamed as I fell to the floor, bleeding very badly. 
The one guy who stood in the back, he had a large python snake wrapped around his upper body.He looked over at one of the other guys and said, "Find his computer and find what he knows, then destroy it."The guy, who had received the order from whom I guessed to be the leader of the group, ran up stairs to find my computer. 
"Who are you?!" Amy screamed out.One of the women, who had long dark hair, said "Exterminators."One of the guys, the one who shot me, ran over to Amy and took hold of her.He threw her down on the table, splattering the food I made all over the floor."Come on baby, you know you want it!" the guy said. 
I roared with anger and got up off the floor and knocked the guy away from Amy.The other woman jumped onto the table and kicked me in the face.I was knocked up against the wall, stunned.The guy with the gun turned around and shot me again, this time in my left leg.I fell down to my knees and screamed. 
The leader, the one with the snake, said, "You've been very nosey, Mr. Davis.""What are you talking about?" I asked, trying very hard to ignore the pain coming from my body.The woman with long dark hair walked over to me and slapped me across my face, knocking me down to the floor.She got over me and said, "Your going to feel some pain." 
"Fuck off!" I yelled.The woman slapped me again, and then bit down into my neck.I struggled to shove her off while she drank the blood from my neck.She was some kind of vampire, but I could feel her heart beat racing against my chest. 
Amy screamed again, the guy with the gun was on top of her on the table."I'm gonna rock your world, sugar!" he said.He punched her, blood coming out of her nose.He then began to rip off her shirt and rub on her breasts.Amy mumbled out, "Vincent."I had enough strength left in me to force the vampire woman off of me.I rushed back up to my feet and attempted to tackle the guy raping Amy. 
But the other woman, the one with short blonde hair and purple eyes, stopped me.She pulled a knife out of her boot and slashed it across my chest, and then across my neck.I began to choke on my own blood.I fell back to the floor, the two women over me.The vampire woman was drinking the blood that was spilling out from my wounds; the other woman was stabbing me repeatedly. 
"Alright, I destroyed all he had," a voice from the stairs said.The guy ordered to find my computer had come back.The leader with the snake nodded and said, "Join the fun."The guy then went over to Amy and pushed the other guy off."My turn, Adam," the guy who had came down from the stairs said.He began to rape Amy. 
I dazed up at the ceiling, an incredible amount of pain running through my entire body.My head slowly turned so that I was looking out the window.Out in the trees, I saw a big black bird sitting on one of the branches.The big black bird stared into the window, as if it were watching all that was happening.I then slowly turned my head so that I could see Amy. 
The two guys were taking turns raping her.Tears and blood covered Amy's face, her eyes cold and hollow."I love this! This is so fucking fun!" the girl with the knife said."That's because you love death," the leader said. 
Darkness was fading all around me.I saw Amy slowly reaching out towards me, and the words, "I love you," were whispered from her gentle lips."Okay, I'm tired of this bitch," the guy with the gun (Adam) said.He pushed the other guy off of her and then shot her five times in the chest.All around me was darkness.Darkness and Pain. 

Darkness and Pain 

A bright light shined over me.It was not the light of Heaven, but a more artificial light."Jesus, what happen to this poor kid?" a voice said."Break in and beating.His girlfriend was brought in with him, but she was already dead," another voice said. 
"He's going to want to wish he is dead," one of the voices said.Thrashing around in mind was the memories of what had happened to my girlfriend and I.In one moment, we were very full of life and happiness, and then the next moment, we were in pain and lying in our own blood. 
"Doctor, there's too much internal bleeding," the sound of a woman's voice said.Another voice then asked, "How many stab wounds does this kid have?"The woman's voice said, "Twenty-one, sir.""Holy shit!" the voice said. 
Somehow, out of the darkness, I came back to reality.I opened my eyes to see several doctors and a couple of nurses standing over me and operating on me."Amy," I mumbled out.One of the doctor's eyes widened with disbelief, one of the nurses put her hand over her mouth in shock."Amy," I mumbled out again. 
"Goddamnit, somebody knock this guy out!" one of the doctors said.One of the nurses asked, "How did he regain consciousness?"A nurse stuck a needle in my arm to knock me out from consciousness.Slowly, I began to fall back down into the darkness.The pain had become so strong and great that it felt like it was apart of me somehow, like the pain was my inner soul. 
In and out of the darkness, I would sometimes regain a little bit of consciousness.I never opened my eyes or said anything again, but I could still listen to the doctors and nurses talk while they tried to save my life."Okay, we've stop the bleeding from his leg," one of them said."This gunshot in his shoulder is still bleeding pretty bad," someone else said."Christ, how long have we been in here?"One of the nurses said, "Eight hours and going.""Damn, my wife's is going to be pissed when I come home late for dinner tonight," a doctor said. 
What seemed an eternity later, I tried one last attempt to regain my life, I heard the doctors and nurses rushing around and screaming out medical gibberish.Someone said, "Shit, we're losing him!""He's going into shock!" a nurse said."Clear!" a doctor said. Shocked, I had a flashback of when Amy and I first met."Clear!" the doctor said again.Another flashback, this time it was when Amy and I had our first kiss together after seeing a movie."Clear!" the doctor yelled again.I saw the night of love and horrors, when I proposed to Amy and she said yes. 
"Damn, we lost him!" a doctor said."Can't say we didn't try our best," one of the nurses said."Twelve hours in the ER," another nurse said."Someone go tell the kid's family," a doctor said.A nurse said, "He doesn't have any family.He has a friend waiting outside, though.""Well, I'll go tell his friend," a doctor said. 

**Black Wings of Torment**

On this night, the rain came down hard upon the earth.A large black bird, the Crow, flies through the air, through the rain, and towards its destination.It flies past a church, where lives are saved, to the cemetery, where lives are lost. 
The Crow finds a set of tombstones marked by the stench of murder.Four graves: Mr. Franklin Davis, Police detective; Mrs. Wendy Davis, his lovely housewife; Vincent Davis, computer hacker/poet and lost soul, Amy Marie, his beautiful girlfriend and lover of life. 
It lands on the tombstone of Vincent Davis, looking down at the ground with its golden eyes.Thunder awakens the night, and the force of lightning comes crashing down to the ground on the grave of Vincent.From under the ground, one could hear the screams of a human being, as if someone had been buried alive. 
Like a volcano of dirt and decay, Vincent rises up from the ground of his grave.He digs his hands into the wet ground and drags himself out of the hole of his burial.He lays on his back, wearing the suit he had been buried in, the rain beating down onto his body like a thousand piercing needles. 
He looks up to see the big black bird looking at him."CAW," cries out the Crow.He stands up and looks around through the night.In the distance, he can see the church.He can also see the gate that leads out of the cemetery.He starts to walk towards the gate. 
The Crow flies ahead of Vincent, as if to guide him.At this point and time, he knows nothing; he remembers nothing of his life.He just knows what is before him, a cold rainy night, a cemetery, and a bird.He makes his way to the gate and opens it so he can leave the cemetery. 
A sudden rush of adrenaline comes into Vincent's body.Guided by the Crow, he runs down the streets, staying in the shadows and allies so he is not seen by the mortal world.Minutes pass, and the Crow lands on the mailbox of a certain house. 
"CAW," the Crow said repeatedly.The house struck some kind of core in Vincent's mind.He closed his eyes to see a memory.He was young, and he and his parents moved into the house.His father leaned down and placed his hand on Vincent's shoulder and said, "Welcome to our new home, son." 
Vincent opens his eyes and starts walking to the front door.As he walks through the yard, another memory comes to mind.He and his father would play catch almost everyday when he was young.The windows of the house have been boarded up, and a big wooden sign across the front door has "ABANDONED" written on it.He takes hold of the sign and rips it from the doorway.He tries to open the door, but it is locked.He kicks down the door and enters his forgotten home. 
All their stuff is still in the house.Vincent walks into the living room and sees the broken TV.A memory flashes into his mind; when he was a kid, he would spend hours watching TV.One day, his mother sat down next to him and said, "You know, if you spend too much time watching TV, your brain will rot and turn green."Little Vincent giggled. 
The Crow flies into the house and lands on top of the living room couch.Another flashback; Vincent sees himself as a young teenager, and he's with a beautiful girl, they are kissing and making out on the couch.When the flashback is over, he falls to his knees and begins to cry and scream.The Crow lets out a gentle, "Caw". 
He mumbles out, "Amy."He gets up from his knees and walks up the stairs.The first room he comes to is his computer room.The equipment of his computer is still there, but it is smashed and burned.Another memory comes to mind; Vincent's parents finally saved up enough money to buy him a computer.He was young, and instead of spending most of his time watching TV or outside playing, he spent his time messing around on the computer.He remembers his parents surprising him; they blind folded him and walked him into the room to surprise him. 
Before Vincent leaves the room, yet another memory comes from this room.He is older now, with a brand new computer.Amy walked into the room and asked, "How much time do you spend on that thing?"He responded, "Too much time, I'm afraid.""Now imagine this, convert all the time you spend on that machine into time you could be making love to me."He turned around from the computer and smiled.He said, "Now there is only one solution to this problem." "And what is that?" she asked.He said, "Buy you a computer and we can have hot wild cyber sex."She laughed a little bit and left the room. 
Vincent walks away from the destroyed computer room and down the hall.He comes upon the spare room, which when he was a child, was his bedroom.The Crow flies by Vincent and lands inside the room.Vincent closes his eyes.When Vincent was a child, he got really sick with the Flu.His mother stayed in his room almost the whole time, taking care of him.She would read him short stories and poetry as he lay in bed sick. 
The Crow lets out another "CAW" before it flies out of the room and towards the main bedroom."This house is haunted with the memories of the lost," Vincent says out loud.He continues to walk down the hallway until he comes to the main bedroom. 
He leans against the wall, not really wanting to look in the bedroom.He closes his eyes again, tears of blood running down his face.He wipes the blood tears from his face and stares at it on his hand.From inside the room, the Crow caws again, as if calling Vincent into the room. 
Vincent turns into the room and walks in.The memories rush into his head like a flood of pain and torment.He collapses to his knees and begins to bang his head on the floor.He sees memories of the times he and Amy would make love in this very room.He also sees memories of his parents together, happy and in love. 
He screams out, "What happen to them?Where are my parents?"The Crow caws and flies out of the room.Vincent rushes up to his feet and runs after the Crow.The Crow flies into the bathroom.Confused, Vincent walks into the bathroom. 
Suddenly, he remembers what happened to his parents.They were murdered in the house while he was gone.He came home only to find his parents beaten and slaughtered.The police showed up, but they pronounce his parents dead on the scene. 
Three days later, Vincent sits in the bathroom with a razor.He cuts open his arms and wrists.Unknown to him, Amy walked into the house when nobody answered the door.She hears Vincent crying and screaming, and she rushes upstairs to find him lying on the bathroom floor in a puddle of his own blood.He is taken to the hospital, and lives.After a few days, he is released, but he refused mental help. 
Vincent rips at the sleeves of his burial suit.Once he tears them off, he finds the scars on his arm from where he cut himself.The Crow looks down at him with its golden eyes."Amy, she was my heart.She was there for me when nobody else was," he says. 
The Crow caws and flies out of the room.Vincent realizes that the Crow is somehow his guide, showing him the things he needs to know.He leaves the bathroom and follows the Crow downstairs.The Crow leads him into the dinning room, but Vincent was unprepared for what he was about to see. 
A happy memory comes into Vincent's mind.He remembers going to the mall and buying a ring for Amy.Then he came home and cooked Amy dinner.Before they eat, Vincent got down on one knee and proposed to her.She said yes.As Vincent stands in the dinning room, he smiles. 
But then the worst of all his memories comes back to him.The sound of the door crashing open and the laughter of the murderers ring out in his head.Vincent collapses to his knees and punches the floor.In his mind, he sees the faces of the killers, each of their faces forever burned into his mind. 
Piece by piece, that destructive night comes back to him.The Crow sits on the dinning room table, the exact spot where Amy was raped.On the floor around the table is the rotting food from that night.Vincent stands up and walks around to the other end of the room. 
On the floor, he can see the stains of blood, his blood.He remembers being shot and slapped to the floor. A vampire woman drank his blood, while another woman stabbed him multiple times.Vincent rips off the rest of his shirt to see all the scars from the 21 stab wounds. 
Vincent punches three holes in the wall before he sits down on the floor, tears of blood running down his face.The Crow caws, and Vincent looks over at the dinning room table.The memories of Amy's death torment him now.The beating, raping, and gunshots burn every singe ounce of Vincent's soul.The sound of her voice calling out his name for help echoes in his mind. 
He screams and takes hold of the table.The Crow flies away right before he picks up the table and throws it against the wall.He punches another hole in the wall, and then stomps on the table.He stands in the middle of the dinning room, looking around. 
"They stole my life, the woman I loved," he says.Vincent looks over at the broken table, and he breaks off one of the table legs.He lets out a loud scream and stabs the wooden leg through his chest.Instead of blood flowing out from his body, a river of ashes comes out of his wound.He feels no pain from the wound. 
"What is this?" he asks.He pulls the wooden leg out from his chest, and then he watches in amazement as the wound closes up and heals itself.The Crow flies over and lands on his shoulder.Vincent looks over at the Crow, and it lets out a caw.When he stares into the Crow's golden eyes, he begins to feel the connection; he begins to understand what he must do. 

**Dead Time **

I ran up to my room.I stripped down out of my burial clothes and went through my closet.While I went through the closet, I had memories of when Amy moved in with me.It was shortly after she found me trying to kill myself.I had to get rid of half my shit to make room in the closet for her clothes. 
The Crow was standing on the bed, watching me.I found some black leather pants and put them on.While I did, I noticed the scar from where I was shot in the leg.In a box, I found my old black combat boots.In a drawer, I found my large thick belt, and I put it on.Back in the closet, I found a long sleeve black shirt. 
In another box filled with Halloween stuff, I found two spiked bracelets and face paint.I put on the bracelets, and then went into the bathroom with the face paint.The Crow followed behind me and landed on the shower bar.As I looked in the mirror, I stared at the scars around my neck.There was one scar from where one of the women used a knife to slash open my neck.Another scar was from where the vampire woman bit down into me. 
My hair is a dirty blonde color, and it comes down to the middle of my back.I keep it in matted locks.I tied the locks above my head, so my hair flowed down over my head.I took the face paints and painted my whole face white, then black lines above and below my eyes.My lips I painted black, with short lines coming out of the corners. 
Back in the bedroom, I found one of Amy's black dresses.I closed my eyes to see a memory of when she was wearing it.We were at the mall, and she bought the dress with some Christmas money I had given her.We were also shopping with our friend, Rachel. 
I tore the black dress and wrapped it around the lower half of my face as a cloak.I stood up, and the Crow landed on my shoulder, and I said, "Fear is for the enemy.Fear and pain."In the garage, I find several chains.I place the chains around the lower half of my legs, and around my upper arms.The Crow cawed and flew over to a pile of boxes in the corner of the garage.It was beating its beak down on one of the several boxes. 
"It is a cold night, indeed, but I feel that my heart is colder from the death and decay of my wounds," I said.I walked over to the box and opened it up to get my long black coat.I found a knife and used it to cut off the sleeves of the jacket, then I slashed at the bottom of the coat in a zigzag design; so it looked like the tail of a Crow.I put the jacket on and started to laugh 
The rain had temporally stopped.I have a black dodge viper, and I kept a spare key under the car.I cranked up the car and spun out of my garage and out onto the street. 
The Crow flies above me, showing me the way to go.I speed down the city streets, following the Crow.Finally, I came to a house.I parked my car across the street and proceeded to go over to the house.There were several people in the house. 
Inside, I saw the girl who slashed open my neck.She was with two other girls.They had loud gothic music playing, and the only light was that of dozens of candles place all around. 
They all sat in a circle, holding hands.One of the girls said, "Start reading from the book, Joy."Joy was the girl who helped kill Amy and I.I watched from the window as Joy began to read from some spell book.I smiled to myself and went around the house. 
"To the gods above us, to the gods below us, the gods of the east, and the gods of the west, I command thee to appear before us!Oh, spirits of pain and torment, appear before us so we may have you power and wisdom!" Joy said.One of the other girls began to say, "We need your help spirits, there has been a crime committed against us!"The third girl said, "I need your help spirits, a guy from school tried to rape me!" 
The Crow flew into the room and landed in the center of the circle."Holy shit!" one of the girls said as she jumped up from her seat.Joy said, "Don't you see, this is a sign from the spirits!" "I don't care what it is, just get rid of it," one of the other girls said. 
"CAW," went the Crow as it flew up into the air and disappeared into the shadows.The loud gothic music suddenly stopped and there was just silence.Whispers of words could be heard coming from the darkness, as if the walls themselves were talking. 
"What the fuck is going on?" one of the girls yelled out.Joy said, "Calm down, it's just the way the spirits communicate."The Crow appeared out from the shadows and flew by one of the girls, and then it disappeared back into the shadows."What the hell is that thing?" the other girl said."Are you blind, it's a Crow!They carry with them the spirits of the dead," Joy said. 
A cool breeze came through the room and blew out all the candles.Now there was complete silence and complete darkness.All around the room, like a deadly echo, the girls could hear the caw of the Crow."Goddamn, I'm getting the hell out of here!" one of the girls said.She ran for the door, but it wouldn't open or unlock. 
Then they heard a strange and dark laughter."Are you afraid of the light? Are you afraid of the night?Soon you will see, and be afraid of me!" I said from within the comfort of the shadows."Who the fuck is that?" one of the girls asked. 
Joy said, "That voice, it sounds familiar."When lightning flashed, the room lighted up for a few brief seconds.During those brief seconds of light, the three girls could see me standing before them with the Crow sitting on my shoulder. 
One of the girls screamed, the other girl stood with wide eyes, and Joy showed no emotion."Who are you?" Joy asked.I had no response, so I just stood there watching them."Your voice sounds familiar to me," Joy continued. 
"As well it should, lover of death," I said."Hey man, your not gonna hurt us, are you?" one of the girls asked.I laughed said, "You two may leave.I need some personal time with the Joy of death."The two girls ran for the door, and this time it would open. 
"Are you going to tell me who you are?" she asked.All the candles lit back up, providing light in the room.I rushed up to the girl and grabbed onto her head."Look! Look into my eyes and remember your crimes!" I said. 
When she looked into my eyes, she remembered who I was.She backed away from me and said, "But we killed you, I've even seen your grave!""Why are you so surprised?Don't you believe in life after death?" I asked.The Crow flew off of my shoulder and onto a chair near by. 
She reached into her boot and pulled out a knife, just like she did when she helped destroy me.She stabbed the knife into my chest, and I laughed.Ashes fell out of the wound when I pulled the knife out.Joy watched as the wound healed itself. 
I punched her in the face, blood spraying out of her nose and mouth.I yelled out, "Time to pay the piper, bitch!"I grabbed her by the neck and threw her across the room.She crashed into the wall and fell down to the floor.I walked over to her and kneeled down next to her."You like to kill, you love death, now it's time for you to feel what it's like to be dead," I said. 
Joy reached up and took hold of my jacket.I took hold of her hand and used my supernatural strength to break every bone in it.She screamed with pain and agony.I slung her over to the center of the floor, and I picked up her knife from the floor. 
"Please, let me live," she said.I said, "But Joy, your already dead.You died when you destroyed my life!"I took the knife and walked over to her.In my mind, I remembered her stabbing me the 21 times.I leaned over Joy and began to slash and stab her body repeatedly.She screamed for a few minutes, but eventually blood filled her lungs. 

**Cold Nights **

Police cars surround the house of Joy.Police detective Ivy Young arrives at the scene.There are a few police officers outside the house, just standing in the yard talking among themselves.One of them tells Ivy, "Hey, prepare yourself.This killer was sick." 
Inside the house, Ivy looks around to see all the candles lighted and blood all over the walls.Lying on the center of the floor is the dead body of Joy, very multiple slash and stabs wounds are apparent.One of the other police detectives is standing near the body writing down some things in his notebook. 
"Who was she?" Ivy asks.The detective responds, "Tonya Phillips, a.k.a. Joy.Local gothic chic, practiced witchcraft, dropped out of school about a month ago."Ivy turns her attention back to the dead girl's body to examine it closer. 
The girl's mouth has been sown shut.Two knives are stuck into the girl's face, into her eye sockets to be exact.There are too many slash and stab wounds on her body to count.Carved into the side of the girl's neck is the emblem of some kind of bird.The blood of the girl has been spread all over the walls of the room. 
"Did she have any enemies?" Ivy asks.The detective says, "She was a suspect in that Davis, Marie case a few months back, but other than that her record is clean.""Did you see this marking on her neck?" Ivy asks.The detective says, "Yeah, I saw it.What do you think it means?""I haven't got a clue," she responds. 
Before leaving the crime scene, Ivy goes through Joy's room.She finds bloodstained razors, letters from her far away parents, some gothic jewelry, and a book of witchcraft, which also contains some old folklore and legends.Ivy takes the book with her when she leaves. 
Ivy sits down in her car.She opens up the book and begins flipping through the pages.She hears a noise from the hood of her car and she looks up to see a large black bird standing on the hood of her car.The Crow lets out a caw and flies off of the car.Seconds later, it begins to rain again.Ivy shakes her head and then cranks up the car to leave. 

**Victims, aren't we all? **

Before Joy died, she told me the names of my murderers.John, the guy who destroyed my computer and also raped Amy; Nadia, the teenage vampire cult leader who sucked away at my blood; Adam, the guy who shot me and raped Amy; and the leader with the snake was Talon. 
There was something I remembered from my deathbed, when the doctors were operating on me; they said there was a friend of mine waiting outside.I had only one friend here besides Amy, and that was Rachel, the girl who worked at the jewelry store at the mall. 
I drove through the rainy night towards her apartment.She was rich and lived in the penthouse of a 20 story apartment complex.I entered the apartment building and ran up the stairs.I was beginning to realize my supernatural strength.Not only was I running faster, but also I wasn't getting tired doing it. 
The Crow followed behind me.We finally reached the 20th floor and found Rachel's apartment.I wasn't sure how I was to go about meeting her again.How does one greet a dead man?I looked around the hallway and found a window that led outside. 
Rachel was alone in her apartment.She was making popcorn and about to sit down and watch a movie.A cool breeze came into the room from a window.Rachel looked over and said, "How did that thing get open?"She walks over to the window and closes it. 
From behind, the Crow lets out a caw.Rachel screams and quickly turns around to see the Crow sitting on the couch."Please, don't be afraid, Rachel," I said from the corner of the room.Rachel slowly turns to face me. 
She screams again and backs away towards the couch.The Crow caws and she screams again."Your going to wake the dead if you keep screaming like that," I said."Vincent, your dead!" she yelled out.I lowered the cloak around my face so she could get a better look. 
"Please, just don't be afraid," I said."What are you?" she asked.I shook my head and said, "I don't know what I am.Please, I need your help with something."Rachel said, "Help with what?""Amy's engagement ring, the ring I bought from you the morning I died, I need to know where it's at," I said. 
Rachel looked away from me and looked at the Crow.She said, "I have it, it's in my bedroom."I asked, "Will you please go get it for me."Rachel nodded and ran for her bedroom.A minute later, she came out holding the ring in her hand. 
"I got the ring before the cops did, I wanted something to remember you two by," she said.She handed over the ring and I took it.The memory of engaging to Amy floods back into my mind.A tear of blood slowly rolls down my white painted face. 
"I don't think I can handle this," Rachel says, and then she sits down on the couch.I placed the ring in the pocket of my jacket and said, "You don't have to understand it, just think of this as a dream.""A dream?My dead friend suddenly pops back into my life, and you want me to believe that it's just a dream when I know it's real?" she said. 
"Basically, yeah," I said with a smile."Just leave me alone, I need to deal with this," she said.In the blink of an eye, I was gone from her sight.The Crow caws and flies out the open door.Rachel began to cry and buried her face into one of the pillows on her couch. 

**Stitches of Pain**

Back at my house, I lie down on the bed and stare up at the ceiling.I get up from the bed and gather a bunch of Amy's things.Back down in the living room, I make a shrine out of her things.I light candles in her honor and place them in a circle around the objects.I sit there looking at this shrine, filled with unbearable pain, tears of blood running down my face. 

I find black stitches and a needle (from Amy's medical drawer in her desk), and go into the bathroom."I cannot bear this pain, I need a release!" I yell out.I sow around my mouth, but leave it loose enough so I can talk.I sow around each eye, but not sown shut, so I can still see. 
Outside, it begins to rain even harder.Someone unlocks the front door and enters the house.I rush out of the bathroom and look down the stairs to see Rachel walking around.She walks over to the shrine I've made of Amy and stares at it. 
"What do you want?" I asked from the foot of the stairs.Rachel turned around and said, "Answers."I sat down on the steps of the stairs and said, "I'm afraid I don't have any."She walked over to me and sat down on the steps next to me."Where is Amy?" 
"In a better place," I answered.She looks at my face, the stitches of pain I have sown over my mouth and eyes."Why did you do that?" she asked.I responded, "Pain, I thrive on it now.Without the pain, I am nothing but Casper the friendly ghost." 
The Crow flies down from the second floor and lands in front of us.It caws and looks at me.I turned my attention back to Rachel and said, "I have to go now."I stood up and began walking to the door, pulling the cloak up over my face.Rachel asked, "You're killing them, aren't you?"I looked over my shoulder and said, "The punishment should fit the crime." 
In the darkness and coldness of the night I disappear from the light.The Crow flies out of the house after me.Rachel shut the door and remained in the house.She walked over to the shrine and laid down on the floor before it. 


	2. Omega

Blessed nightmares

Blessed nightmares 

The sun was now rising to bring on a new day.I arrived home to find Rachel asleep on the floor in front of the shrine I had made in Amy's honor.I got a blanket out of the closet and placed it over Rachel.I then went up the stairs to the bedroom and laid down on the bed. 
I closed by stitched up eyes and tried to sleep.However, sleep offered no escape from my eternal pain.I had nightmares about Amy's death and mine.I awoke in the middle of the day, and I walked out of the bedroom and went back downstairs. 
Rachel was in the kitchen making something to eat.I walked to the doorway of the kitchen and said, "I'm a dead man, so I don't eat."Rachel looked over at me and said, "I know, I'm making me something to eat."The Crow flew into the kitchen and landed on the counter. 
"What's the deal with you and this bird?" she asked.I responded, "The Crow is my link between this world and the realm of the dead."Rachel then asked, "Do you know what today is?"I shook my head and said, "Does it matter?""It's Halloween," she said. 
At the Church of United Ways, detective Ivy Young arrives at the scene.One of the police officers says, "You should come look at this first."Ivy follows the police officer to the bodies of the 5 dead teenage vampires.All of them have wooden stakes through their chests.Ivy notices the grave of Vincent Davis, the empty grave. 
She remembers what the other police detective said at the last scene, that Joy was a suspect in the Davis/Marie murder case.After seeing the 5 dead teens and their torn bodies, she goes to the church. 
One of the officers shows her to the preacher who phoned the police.Ivy asks, "What exactly did you see?"The preacher answers, "That young girl, Nadia, came running into my church late last night.She looked like she was afraid, and I asked her if she needed any help. 
"Then the church doors swing open an odd gentlemen dressed all in black comes in.Nadia put a gun up to my head and threatened to kill me, but the odd man shot her in the arm to make her drop the gun.I ran off and phoned the police." 
Ivy turns to one of the officers and asks, "Where is Nadia?"The officer responds, "In the preacher's office, she's a real mess."Ivy walks to the preacher's office.Nadia is sitting in a chair, shaking and trembling very badly, two police officers are keeping watch over her.Paramedics were able to stop the bleeding from the gunshot in her arm. 
"Hello Nadia," Ivy says.Nadia looks up at Ivy and says, "Some things in life are worse than death."Ivy asks, "What do you mean?""There is no meaning, life is so fucking hollow!" Nadia yells out.Ivy asks, "Who attacked you last night?" 
"The dead! The dead have risen from the grave!" she yells out.Ivy says, "Give me a name."Ivy lowers her head to the floor and begins to cry.Once again, Ivy demands a name.Nadia looks up at Ivy and says, "The dead has a face and a name, his name is Brimstone." 
I sat on the floor looking at pictures of Amy and me.Rachel is carrying a large black bag when she walks over to me.She said, "Here, take this.I thought you might want or need it."I took the bag from her and opened it up.Inside was a laptop computer. 
Suddenly, there is a knock from the door.I take my new computer and disappear upstairs.There is another knock at the front door, but then the person opens it and steps inside.It is detective Ivy Young with her gun drawn.She sees Rachel and asks, "Who are you?"Rachel responds, "A friend of the deceased." 
Ivy sees the shrine I made to Amy, and she asks, "What is that suppose to be?"Rachel responds, "Something to remember my dead best friend, who are you and what are you doing here?"Ivy puts away her gun and then pulls out her badge."I'm Detective Young," Ivy says. 
"Why are you here?" Rachel asks.Ivy Young answers, "I have reason to believe your dead friend, Vincent Davis, is still alive." Rachel says, "I can assure you, he's dead."Ivy walks over to the shrine and looks down at it."Vincent's grave was dug up.One suspect of his murder is found dead, while the other driven insane," Ivy says. 
Rachel asks, "Where are the other suspects in the murder case?"Ivy says, "Sorry, that's classified information.I need to know if your friend Vincent is still alive, and is playing vigilante hero against the people who knocked off his girlfriend." 
From the stairs, I say, "I assure you, I am very much dead."Ivy draws out her gun and quickly turns around, aiming the gun at me.I slowly walk towards Ivy, and she says, "Stay where you are!"I lower my cloak so she can see my whole painted stitched up face. 
"Do I look like I am alive?Does it look like I am breathing the same air as you?" I say.I continued to slowly walk towards Ivy, but she fires her gun.The bullet shoots into my stomach.We all stand in silence as the wound heals itself. 
"What the hell are you?" Ivy asks.The Crow flies from the stairs and lands on my shoulder."I am," was my only reply.Ivy lowers her gun and says, "I know what you are, and you are a lost soul brought back by that damn Crow."I ask, "How do you know?"Ivy reaches into her jacket pocket and pulls out a book. 
"I got this from Joy, it's a book of myths and legends.It tells about an ancient myth.When a person dies, a Crow carries their soul to the realm of the dead.But sometimes, if a great pain and sadness is carried with that soul, the Crow can bring that soul back to seek out revenge," Ivy says. 
The Crow caws."I need your help, Detective.I need to know where Talon and John are, why did they leave town?"Ivy says, "I looked up your file before I came over here.The police force was putting some heat on Talon, so he and John fled town for Chicago.While the other three of his gang remained here." 
"Adam is next," I say."Why did they kill you?" Ivy asks.I respond, "In life, I was a computer hacker.My father was working on a case when he died, an investigation of Talon Industries.I think maybe I found something I wasn't suppose to, so they took me out." 
"Give me the evidence you once had, and I can put Talon and his group behind bars for good," Ivy says.I pull the cloak up over my lower face and respond, "The law of man holds no strength among me.There is only one punishment for them, and that is death by my cold dead hands." 
"Vincent, let the law handle this!" Ivy yells.I turn my back to Ivy and Rachel and begin walking for the door.Nightfall would be falling soon, and my hunt for the rapist Adam would begin."If you don't do this my way, I'll be forced to take you in," Ivy says.I laugh and say, "And what are you going to tell them?That a dead man walks the earth among the living?" 
Without any more words said, I leave my house and head out into the night with the Crow.The night air is cold; it would probably start raining again soon.Once again, I found myself following the Crow through the city.In the back of my mind, I was still thinking about Rachel and Ivy.But my main concern was the fact that the Crow was leading me to the mall. 

**Shopping for Blood**

Even at this time in the early night, there was a ton of people at the mall.I parked my car in the parking lot towards the back of the mall, and then followed the Crow up to the rooftops of the buildings that made up the shopping center. 
Adam was a rapist.He took pleasure in hurting the innocent girls.Sometimes, he would appear out of the shadows and force sex upon a girl.Other times, he would sweet talk his way into their bed.What made Adam such a monster, however, was the fact he had AIDS.He knew he had it too, which gave him the better reason to spread it. 
Locked in one of the store storage rooms, Adam is having sex with one of the store workers.The girl is only fifteen, while Adam is twenty-one.After their through, Adam kisses the girl and says, "Hey baby, I'm gonna go meet up with some friends and get something to eat."The girl says, "Alright, come by when you're done."Adam smiles and says, "Oh don't worry, I will."He of course, is lying.He never plans on seeing the girl again. 
In the mall's food court, Adam meets up with several of his friends.They order some pizza and take a seat.Adam tells them about the girl he just did, and they all laugh and make jokes about it. 
Above the food court is a large skylight.The Crow scares several people as it flies through the mall, making its way to the food court.Once it does, it lands on the table Adam is sitting at."What the hell is this thing?" Adam says. 
As I look through the Crow's eyes and see Adam, the memory of him raping Amy crashes into my torn mind."Man, get this thing off my table before it shits in my food!" one of Adam's friends says.The Crow caws and flies away. 
Above, I jump down through the skylight.The echo of the glass sounds throughout the mall.The pieces of glass fall down over Adam and his friends like rain.I scream while I fall, and land perfectly on Adam's table.I grab Adam by the neck and say, "Do I have a face of a fallen angel?Do you see my tears of blood screaming at your soul?" 
Adam pulls out a gun and puts it right up to my head."Get lost crack head," he says, then he fires the gun.The force of the gunshot knocks me off the table.People scream and start running away.Security tries to make their way to us, but the flood of scared people slows them down. 
"Who the hell is that?" one of Adam's friends asks.Before Adam could tell them he doesn't know, I stand back up and say, "One two, buckle my shoe!""Fuck!" Adam yells out.The rest of Adam's friends pull out their guns also and open fire on me. 
I jump up on the table and start dancing while the bullets tear through my body."What the hell is he?" one of them says."Freeze!" a security guard yells out."Oh shit, lets get out of here!" Adam yells.They stop shooting at me and make a run for it. 
My laughter is heard next, I jump down from the table and start running after Adam.Gunshots are heard everywhere, Adam's friends are apparently not giving up without a fight.On my way after Adam, I even run over a dead security guard. 
One of the security guards gets in my way, trying to block me.I leap in the air and flip over him.I continue to run after Adam.He is lucky enough to make his way out the back door.He sees a police car waiting outside the back entrance, so he finds a ladder that leads up to the mall roof. 
"It's a bad night to be one of the bad guys, Adam," I say from behind. 
Adam quickly turns around and sees me."Who the fuck are you?" he asks.I pull down the cloak from my face and say, "Remember this face?It is the face of your end, your omega, your fucking doom." 
When he stares into my stitched eyes, he remembers.Out of fear, he starts shooting at me again.I charge at him, knocking him down, and he drops his gun.I grab him and pull him back up to his feet.I head-butt him, knocking him back a couple of feet.Then I roundhouse kick him, knocking him back even farther.I punch him, which knocks him close to the edge of the roof. 
"I made you bleed, how you feeling now?" I say.Adam spits blood onto my face, and I yell, "Wrong answer!"I punch him again, knocking him off the two-story roof of the mall.He falls down to the cement parking lot, and a second later a car runs over him.People scream, people run.I stand on the edge of the roof, looking down at Adam's dead body.A smile crosses my face. 
From behind me, a police officer says, "Don't move!"I pull the cloak up over my face and turn around to see three officers with their guns drawn at me.I wave at the officers, and take one step backwards off the roof.I twist and turn in the air, so when I land, I am facing away from the mall. 
There are security guards and police officers everywhere.Above me, I can hear the Crow cawing.I ran towards the back of the mall, police officers running after me.After a minute of the chase around the building, they start shooting at me. 
The Crow caws and flies down in front of me.A bullet hits me in the back of my head, causing me to stumble for a moment, but they I regain my pace.The Crow makes it to my car and lands on the roof.I rush up to the door and get inside.The police fire their guns at my car, which really pisses me off. 
I crank up the car and take off towards an exit.Unfortunately, the police have the exits blocked.The police continue to shoot at me, but I keep driving towards an exit.I swerve to one side to avoid the police cars and drive across the grass.I make my way onto the highway and speed off. 
Police officers are following me, however.I take several quick turns to try and lose them.I end up causing an accident on the road, which blocks the police officers from following me.I drive home. 

Poison Ivy 

Ivy arrives at the scene of the mall.She walks up to the dead body of Adam and looks at it.Blood is around his entire body, and it forms the symbol of the Crow.One of the other detectives asks Ivy, "Who is this?"Ivy says, "Adam Eve.There have been several cases filed against him for rape, but his father is one of the best lawyers in this city.He was also a suspect in the Vincent Davis, Amy Marie case." 
As Ivy starts to leave the scene, the detective asks her, "You look like you know something else.Are you hiding information?"She shakes her head and says, "I know all the same things you know.Some vigilante killer is obsessed with the Davis, Marie murder.So obsessed that he digs up the body of Vincent Davis for God only knows what reason, then he goes around killing the suspects in the murder case and leaves behind a mysterious emblem of a bird." 
"If you do find the vigilante, you better make sure you bring him in one piece.Don't kill him like you did on your last case," the detective says.A few months ago, Ivy was following the path of a serial rapist.When she tried to arrest the rapist, he started to run away.She shot him three times in the back, which killed him. 

Road to Hell 

I return to my house that night.Rachel is lying on the couch, reading a book.When she sees me enter, she puts down her book and stands up."How did it go?" she asks.I respond, "What is there to tell about death?How good it feels to take another soul?How wonderful it feels to know that soul burns in hell right now.Or maybe how I enjoy the thrill of blood?" 
The Crow flies into the house and up the stairs.I turn and follow it.Rachel runs up behind me and asks, "You're leaving, aren't you?" I continue to walk up the stairs when I say, "Yes, I have to finish this.But I'll be back." 
Upstairs, the Crow leads me into the bathroom.I shut the door and pull down my cloak, so I can take a good look at myself in the mirror."My God, what have I become?Am I no better than the hands that slay me?Is there no pain from the victims I create?" I said to myself. 
In the mirror I continue to look into what is left of my soul.The Crow sits on the corner of the sink, looking up at me.When I think about the pain of my victims, the same victims who made me a victim, I smile.I know it must be unholy to take pleasure in another soul's pain, but at that moment, I realized one thing."Pain is my power," I said. 
Back down stairs, I see that Ivy has come.I ask, "Come to take me in?"Ivy shakes her head as if to say no.I look over to Rachel and ask, "The police are probably looking for my car, so I hid it behind the garage.Can I borrow yours?"Rachel responds, "Yeah, sure.Just try and bring it back in one piece." 
"Do you still want me to let the law of man handle this?" I ask Ivy.Ivy sits down on the couch and says, "No, not at all.I understand what you're doing; you have all the right reasons to justify yourself.I'm not going to arrest you or turn you in." 
"What changed your mind?" I asked.Ivy says, "When I was a teenager, I stood helpless while a gang killed my father.That's why I became a cop, so I could take a little bit of revenge from every criminal.I know that if I was in your position, I would probably do the same." 
Rachel hands me her car keys and I say, "When I come back, I'm going to burn this house down.I don't want to remember this place as being a house of pain."Rachel asks, "Can I keep some of the pictures?I want something to remember you two by." 
I put my hands on Rachel's face and say, "The love you keep in your heart for us is the strongest memory you could have.Yes, I'll let you keep some of the pictures if you want them."The Crow flies onto my shoulder and caws.I look over at Ivy and say, "Watch over her, keep things safe around here."Ivy nods with agreement. 
"Are you going to stop by and tell me goodbye?" Rachel asks.I close my eyes for a moment, as if to ponder the pain."I'm not sure," is the only answer I felt strong enough to give.I start walking to the door and Ivy says, "Good luck." 
As I leave the house, I can hear Rachel crying in the arms of Ivy.I walk out to the garage and get in Rachel's car.I pull out onto the street and say, "Okay Mr. Crow, do your stuff."The Crow flies through the night, leading my path into Hell. 
Down the road, I can hear the sirens of police cars.More violence and chaos in the night was being committed.It almost makes me sick to think about it.Towards the city of Chicago, the Crow leads me to John and Talon. 
Daylight soon came, but I kept driving.I had to fill the car up with gas one point along the way; I used money I found laying around my house.Although it had stopped raining, there seemed to be a dark cloud hanging over the city of Chicago. 
I parked the car in the parking lot of a hotel, and I proceeded with my journey into the city.The Crow led me through the streets, but I didn't travel fast by running.It was still daylight, and I only worked at night.The Crow did lead me to a club, Club Talon.There was nobody there right now but the bartender and the band practicing. 

The Life of a Hacker 

Down the street, I found a phone box.I took apart the box and plugged in my laptop computer into the phone lines.I used my old hacking skills to dig up information about Club Talon in Chicago. 
Like all the rest of the clubs Talon owns, it was very popular and successful.Unlike all the other clubs, Talon himself ran this particular club.And he didn't start running it until a short period after my murder.While I was hacking, I found out some information about John too.He lived in an empty apartment building on the other side of town.The Crow, standing on the ground, cawed up at me.I looked down at it and said, "Yeah, he's next." 
The night came, but no rain.In the abandoned apartment building, John turns on his computer and gets online.He talks with a drug dealer about a shipment that is suppose to come in for a big party Talon is going to throw. 
Once the deal is done, John starts looking up child porn.He undoes his pants and masturbates to the pictures on his computer screen.A message box comes up on his computer screen.The message is from Brimstone, and it reads, "You'll go blind doing that." 
"What the hell?" John mumbles out.He zips up his pants and sends back the message, "Who are you?"Brimstone replies, "I am."John replies, "You are what?""I am dead, yet I still talk and walk.I am a poet, and yet my heart is gone.I am a murderer of murderers," Brimstone says. 
John: "How did you get access to this computer?" 
Brimstone: "Trick of the trade.I thought you were a good hacker, John." 
John:"How did you know my real name?I never use my real name online." 
Brimstone:"But I know who you are.I know what you did the day before Valentines Day." 
John:"Valentines Day?" 
Brimstone:"John, it's time to pay the piper." 
John:"Man, I don't know who the hell you are, but I'm gonna run a trace and erase your sorry ass." 
Brimstone:"HaHaHaHa!I think the joke is on you, John boy." 
John:"What do you mean?" 
Brimstone:"You already helped kill me.But I'm back." 
John:"Are you high?" 
Brimstone:"I've been high for the last few days, John.I've been high off of the blood of victimizers." 
John:"Okay, I'm running a trace right now." 
Brimstone:"I'll wait." 
John runs a computer trace.On his screen is a picture of a map.John's eyes carefully follow the lines around the map as the computer tries to trace the signal.When the lines are through, they end up in the same place they started.However, they form the symbol of the Crow. 
All throughout the apartment building, the sound of insane laughter can be heard.John reaches under his computer desk and finds his shotgun.Again, the laughter can be heard.On the computer screen, the word "Doomsday" appears over and over like a virus. 
Spooked, John stands up from his computer desk, holding his shotgun, and begins to inspect the room."Boo!" is heard next.John quickly turns around and shoots at his own computer, destroying it."Fuck!Your gonna pay for that!" John yells out. 
"You're going to pay with your life!" I yell out from the shadows.John quickly turns again and shoots.The bullets pour into me, but as before, they do not stop me.I walk out of the shadows with my arms out and say, "Hello John." 
He fires his shotgun again into me, but with no effect.I continue to walk towards him.He fires again, but now I'm standing toe to toe with him.He hits me in the head with the butt of the shotgun, but I laugh.I grab the shotgun and pull it out of John's hands, throwing the gun to the side. 
"Do you not remember?The day before Valentines Day, you helped kill a man and women in their home," I said.John responds, "Yeah I remember.Some hacker was messing around with our files, he found out about our illegal drug deals and weapon sells." 
I grab him by his shirt and pull him up real close to my face.I stare deeply into his eyes and say, "Remember what I said.It's time to pay the piper."I see visions of John smashing and burning my computer in my house the night of my murder.Then I see him pushing Adam off of Amy so he can have his turn. 
"Jesus Christ!You're him!You're the hacker we wasted!" John yells out.I throw him across the room, and he slams hard into the wall.I quickly rush over to him and pick him up again.I yell out, "Did it feel good to touch her?!"I slam his face down in the floor and yell out, "Did it feel good to violate her?" 
Blood is running out of his nose and mouth.I punch him hard in the stomach and yell out, "Did it make you feel big to take advantage of a girl?"I walk over to the shotgun on the floor and pick it up.John stands on his feet and says, "Come on man, kill me!" 
"Did it feel good to rape her?!" I yell out, and then I shoot him in the stomach.He collapses to the floor in pain and lies in a puddle of his own blood.I walk over to him and yell, "Did it feel good to destroy a life?!"I use the butt of the shotgun to hit him over again and again.I break some of his ribs, his arm, and his legs. 
John lies there on the floor, trembling from pain and fear.I hit him in the face with the shotgun and ask, "Where can I find Talon?"John, choking on his own blood, mumbles out, "The club, you can find him at the club."I hit him in the face again and say, "Thank you." 
The Crow flies into the room and lands on my shoulder.I pick John up and throw him into his computer.Electricity runs all through out his body, and it even catches him on fire.He screams with agony as his flesh melts.The fire catches the walls of the abandoned apartment building on fire. 
Very soon, the whole building is on fire.People on the streets watching the building burn swear they can see some kind of emblem in the smoke, like that of a bird.The Crow and I walk down the streets towards Club Talon. 

Venom of Despair 

Club Talon raged with the life of teenagers and youth alike.I sneaked past the bouncer outside and came inside to get a closer look at things.On the stage, a band played music of metal and rage.Before the stage, large groups of people are in a mosh pit. 
At the far end of the club is a set of stairs, which lead up to the main offices and private rooms.At the foot of the stairs is one of the bouncers.With the Crow on my shoulder, I walk through the crowd towards the stairs. 
Some people move out of my way, others just ignore me completely.When I reach the foot of the stairs, the bouncer puts his hand on my chest to stop me and says, "No one is allowed upstairs without an appointment."I respond, "I have an appointment, a very old and long overdue appointment." 
"What's your name?" the bouncer asks.I answer, "Tell Talon the Crow is here."The bouncer reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a cell phone.With the push of one button, he calls the office above.He tells whoever answered the call that the Crow was here to see Mr. Talon. 
The bouncer hangs up the phone and says, "Alright, you're cleared.Head on up."The bouncer moves out of my way and I continue up the stairs.On the second floor, I find myself at a door.When I open the door, I then find myself in a long hallway. 
Through the hallway, I can hear the sin of this place breathing.In some rooms, people are having sex.In other rooms, people are doing drugs.But at the end of the hallway is a large door with the carving of a snake on it.The Crow, still on my shoulder, caws as I open the door. 
The office seems empty.There's a large desk with a computer on it; paintings on the wall of fallen angels, hell, demons, and death; a window that overlooks the club, and another window that overlooks the streets of Chicago. 
I walked up to the desk and looked over it.Suddenly from behind, I can hear the hissing noise of a snake.I quickly turn around and see Talon with his python snake wrapped around him.He throws a dart towards me, but it stabs into the Crow. 
Immense pain fills my body as the Crow falls to the floor.Talon laughs and throws another dart at the stumbled Crow, hitting it once again.Another stream of pain floods my body, and I take hold onto the desk to help hold up my balance. 
"How helpless you two are!You Crows are all the same.Blinded by your own hatred, you dare to not look at the truth around you," Talon says.His face is painted similar to mine, with the black lines above and bellow each eye, lips painted black, with long black lines coming out of the corners of his mouth. 
Blood was coming out of my mouth.Talon kneels down and puts the snake on the floor.He approaches me with his arms out and says, "Come bird boy, give me your best shot."Filled with anger, I charge towards him and punch him as hard as I can.But it was like punching a brick wall.Talon laughs and kicks me, knocking me down to the floor. 
"Let me ask you something, Vincent.Have you taken the time to really consider what you are and what powers you behold?You're back from the dead! You're supernatural!Why not take advantage of this power?"I stand back up on my feet and say, "I came back from the dead so I can put you in the grave.That is all the power I need to know about." 
Talon laughs again and punches me in the face, knocking me back down."But that is a power I have taken from you, Vincent.The Crow is your link between this world and the next, and that link is about to be permanently broken."Talon points to the floor where the Crow is struggling to tear the darts from its flesh. 
The python snake slithers over to the Crow and violently wraps its body around the wounded Crow.As the snake does this, I feel like my bones are crushing.The Crow caws, but the snake crushes it with its strength and power. 
I scream and blood comes pouring out of my mouth.I lay on the floor of Talon's office, shaking and trembling.Darkness around me starts to fade in again, just like the night I died.I reach up towards the ceiling, as if I could touch Heaven itself, but Talon stomps on my face.The darkness and despair fill my soul again.I had lost. 

The Sin of Night 

In a room connected to Talon's office, I am nailed to the wall.I have been stripped of my jacket and shirt, and my hair now hangs freely over my face.The cloak around my face still remains. 
My blood runs down grooves in wall and into cups.I open my eyes and try to come back to my senses.Talon is collecting the cups of my blood when he notices I've regained consciousness. 
"Well Brimstone, welcome back to reality," he says.No words can come to my mouth; only pain seems to mumble its way from my lips.Talon laughs and says, "Feels like shit doesn't it?Death of the dead.Kinda ironic isn't it?" 
He collects another cup of my blood before he continues, "Do you realize what kind of money can be made of this stuff?Your blood contains power, eternal power.I'll make millions alone just by selling this stuff as a drug or steroid." 
Finally, words come out, "What are you?"Talon stands before me and says, "So now you decide to be curious?Do you realize that to every energy, there is a positive and negative side?Think of the Crow as the positive side to the undead vengeance energy.So if the Crow is a positive energy, then what am I?I am the negative side of the undead energy, I was brought back by the powers of the serpent." 
I said nothing; I only tried to remain conscious so I could hear what else he had to say.Talon continues, "A few years ago, me and my two brothers were powerful drug dealers.But we were killed by a couple of cops.My dead corpse rose up from the grave, much like you did, and I was guided by the serpent. 
"I sought out revenge against the police officers that took the lives of me and my brother.Now here's the kicker, Vincent.Your father was a friend to those police officers, and took on the case of finding out who killed them." 
A sudden anger was starting to boil inside me.I had a feeling I wasn't going to like what Talon was about to tell me."For a couple of years, I remained in that city and started my own club.Your father kept putting is goddamn nose where it didn't belong. 
"Before long, your father had enough information to bury me.Something had to be done."Talon got right in my face and said, "I was the one who killed your father and mother that day.I and I alone spilled their blood in your house." 
More blood came out of my mouth as I tried to scream from pain and anger.Talon laughed and continued, "And as luck would have it, you grow up to be some kind of hacker known as Brimstone, and start sticking your nose in my business, right where your fucking father left off." 
Talon collects more cups of my blood and leaves the room for a few moments.When he comes back, he has something in his hand.He says, "I thought you might want to have this, considering how you're about to die again." 
He puts around my neck a gold necklace and locket shaped like a heart.I recognize the item immediately; it belonged to my mother.My dad gave it to her on their first anniversary.I look down at it, but once again the darkness starts to fade in.I see Talon laughing at me before I lose consciousness again. 

**Edge Crusher**

****Surrounded by some kind of liquid or water, I swim my way up towards a light.Once I reach the surface, I see a shore that I can go over to.Once I reach the land, I collapse to the ground and lay face down in the mud. 
I feel hands on me; they turn me over onto my back.I open my eyes to see my parents standing over me.My father is wearing his police uniform, and my mother is wearing her usual house clothes and cooking apron."Where am I?" I ask."Some place better, son," my mom says.I slowly look around, and then I ask, "Where is Amy?"My father says, "She's not here son." 
I sit up and ask, "Where is she?I have to see her again!"My mother says, "I'm sorry son, but she's not here.She's still stuck between the two worlds."I buried my face into my muddy hands and began to cry."It's because of him!He defeated me, and now she's lost!" I yell out.My mother puts her arms around me to try and comfort me. 
My father says, "You tried your best, that's all that matters.Your heart is still with her, and she will always live on forever in your memories."My mother helps me up to my feet and says, "Come on, it's time to go home." 
We start walking towards a bridge in the forest, but I stop and say, "No!It won't end this way!"I turn around back towards the water from which I came, and start running for it.Something strikes in my heart, pain and love mixed to the core of my soul. 
I turn around to face my parents. I walk up to them and take off the gold necklace and locket around my neck.I hand it to my mother and say, "Here, take this.You have to understand why I must go back."My mother takes the necklace back and says, "Thank you."I look over to my father and say, "Goodbye dad.I love you." 
He smiles and hugs me, then he says, "Good luck.Remember, we will always love you, and that we believe in you."I hugged my mom goodbye then I started running back towards the water.When I reach the shore, I dive back in and swim towards the bottom. 

Death to the Conquered 

Down in the actual club, Talon gets up on the stage and yells into the microphone, "Who here is ready to have some fun?"Outside the club in the sky, a dozen Crows circle around.The crowd yells out "Yeah!"Talon says, "If Halloween wasn't good enough for you, tonight will surely make up for it!" 
The dozen Crows fly around the club, circling its prey.Talon speaks once more into the microphone, "I have every drug imaginable, and since I'm just a nice guy, it's all fucking free!"The crowd yells and goes wild.The Crows find the window to Talon's office. 
"So go and have some major fun!" Talon yells out. The dozen Crows fly through the window, shattering the glass into pieces.The band starts playing while Talon is still up on the stage.The Crows find their way into the room where Vincent is nailed. 
Talon jumps down off the stage and starts walking to the stairs.The Crows all gather on Vincent's body.When Talon gets over to the bouncer guarding the stairs, the bouncer says, "Quite a crowd here tonight."Talon smiles and says, "Like lambs to the slaughter." 
The Crows move around Vincent's body and caw.Talon makes his way up the stairs to the door leading into the hallway.Vincent's body starts to shake and tremble.As Talon walks down the hallway, he stops by one of the doors and knocks on it. 
Lightning strikes down from the thunderclouds outside.Vincent's eyes open up, he has awakened.When Talon opens the room door, there is a whore lying on the bed naked.Talon says, "I'll be here in just a minute, there's just one thing of unfinished business I have to take care of." 
With pain and torment as his power, Vincent tears his feet from the nails binding him to the wall.Then he pushes and rips his hands free.He falls to the floor and stands back up on his feet.The dozen Crows fly around his body cawing. 
"I never had this much fun even when I was alive," Talon says to himself as he opens his office door.He walks into the room where Vincent was nailed, but Talon is shocked to see Vincent's body missing.On the floor, Talon finds several black feathers. 
"Son of a bitch," Talon says.From behind, I backhand Talon in the head.He stumbles to the side, and I punch him in his back.He turns around and I head-butt him."How the hell did you get down?" Talon asks.I responded, "Pain and torment breeds itself when time is concerned." 
He launches himself towards me and tackles me to the floor.He punches me three times in the face before I'm able to throw him off.Talon runs into the other room and disappears from sight.I walk into the room and begin looking around for him. 
Down from the ceiling, he jumps onto me.He has his python snake wrapped around his upper body.I roundhouse kick him, knocking him back a few steps.Talon laughs and says, "What are you going to do?Kill me so you can be with your love?Talk about being pussy whipped to the extreme." 
I say, "This is for my parents."From the office window, the dozen Crows fly back in and attack Talon and his snake.Talon screams and throws his beloved snake to the floor.The dozen Crows stab their claws and sharp beaks into the snake, tearing it into pieces. 
"Fuck!" Talon screams.All over his body, bleeding wounds appear.In only a few seconds, the dozen Crows kill the snake.Talon collapses to his knees and says, "You can't kill me!I will live on forever!" I run up to him and kick him in the face. 
"That was for me!" I yell out.The force of my kick knocks Talon on his back.I cracked open the front of his skull with that kick.I grab a hold of Talon and lift him back up to his feet. 
In my mind, I see Talon standing and watching as his gang killed Amy and I.Talon can only mumble out, "No."I say, "And this, for your sins of being a monster, is for Amy!"I throw him through his office window that overlooks the club. 
His body falls straight down and smashes down into the floor of the club.One of the broken pieces of glass from the window spirals downward, and it slices between Talon's head and body.People scream and run.The bouncers run up the stairs in an attempt to catch me. 
The dozen Crows and I run for the other window, and I leap out onto the cold streets.In the comfort of darkness and vision of shadows, I disappear into the night.The dozen Crows lead me back to Rachel's car in the parking lot of a hotel. 
Before I leave the city of Chicago, I stay to watch the sunrise.I smile to myself and get in the car.The dozen Crows continue to guide me out of the city and back to my house. 

Home 

In the late hours of the night, I pull up to my house.There is a light on in the living room.The dozen Crows wait outside while I go inside.Rachel is in the kitchen when she hears me walk in the door.She runs out and wraps her arms around me. 
"What's wrong?" I ask."I thought you were finished!" she yelled out.I ask, "What do you mean?" She points over to a box on the floor.Inside is the dead body of my original Crow.Talon mailed it here as a sign of my destruction. 
"Don't worry, I'm done now," I said.Rachel says, "It's on the news about Talon and his club.Police even found records to take down all of his crime partners."I pulled down the cloak over my face so Rachel could see my smile one last time. 
"It's time for me to go," I said.Rachel lowers her head and begins to cry, she says, "I know."I lift up her head and wipe away her tears."Don't feel sad.I'm going to be with Amy again, feel happy for me."She tries to smile under her sadness.I hug her and say, "Goodbye Rachel, you've been a good friend." 
I take one last look at my house, and then I head for the door.Before I walk out, Rachel says, "Bye."I turn halfway and wave goodbye, she waves back, and I leave.Rachel runs over to the couch and buries her tears in one of the pillows. 
Down the streets I walk.The dozen Crows flying above and in front of me, guiding my way back to the cemetery.I open up the cemetery gates and walk through the graves until I find my own.The dozen Crows fly around and land all around my empty grave.I look up at the sky and say, "I'm coming home, Amy.I'm coming home." 
The next morning, Rachel walks through the cemetery carrying four roses in her hands.She stops by the graves of the Davis' and Amy Marie.She puts one rose on each grave.She sits on the ground and looks at Vincent's grave.Tears almost start flowing down her face, but she holds them back. 
Ivy walks up from behind and puts her hand on Rachel's shoulder."I drove by the house earlier.It's in ashes."Rachel looks up at her and says, "Yeah, as soon as I left last night it caught on fire."Ivy says, "I'll buy you breakfast."Rachel stands up and says, "That's alright, I'm not too hungry."Ivy says, "Then come with me for walk."Rachel agrees and they start to leave the graves.Before they do, however, Rachel waves goodbye one last time. 
Vincent holds the hand of his beloved Amy.They run happily through the forest and to the wooden bridge.They walk across it and stop on the other side.Vincent takes Amy into his arms and kisses her.Amy smiles and says, "I love you."Vincent replies, "Forever?"Amy kisses Vincent and says, "Only forever."They take each other by the hands again and continue their journey to the other side. 
A Crow flies through the forest and lands on Vincent's shoulder.He says, "I didn't expect to see you again."The Crow caws and takes off flying again.The Crow holds in its beak the ring Vincent gave to Amy.The Crow lands on Vincent's tombstone and drops the ring to the ground.The Crow caws and starts flying through the air again. 

The End 


End file.
